


Remains of Our Souls

by KingLeo



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Junkenstien's Revenge AU, M/M, Overwatch AU, halloween stuff, some violence but nothing graphic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-01
Updated: 2016-11-01
Packaged: 2018-08-28 08:03:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8437804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KingLeo/pseuds/KingLeo
Summary: Junkenstien’s Revenge AU basically. This was an experiment for me using a completely different narrative style. Part of me wishes there was more, but what can you do. When the writing brain says “that’s it” there isn’t much you can do. So yeah, enjoy I hope. ~Happy Halloween~





	

The sounds echoing in the dark were unsettling. In the seemingly endless night of this place, the monstrous constructs outside never stopped. Their metal hands clawed at the walls, scraping, screeching, their groans and mindless vocalizations the only other sounds for miles.

Each of them had come here for their own reasons. The monster hunting gunslinger and the oni archer were doing what they always did, stopping “evil” as they found it. The alchemist had a personal debt to settle it seemed, something she carried silently behind her grinning mask.

Watching them all from the shadows, the immortal soldier adjusted his weapon. He had kept to himself most of the nights they'd been here. While the others sat around the fire and told stories of their exploits, he remained aloof.

Night after night, wave after wave of abominations of science and magic, they stood shoulder to shoulder and fought. When dawn (such as it was) came, they retreated inside to recover before the moon rose and night fell upon them once more.

“So I know why we're here,” the hunter said at the fire one night. “But seriously, the heck're you two here for?”

The woman looked between the two of them, then at the pale soldier in the corner. She sighed and removed her mask, setting it on the ground before pushing back her hood. They were all surprised to see that she was a rather aged woman, silver hair in a thick braid around her neck.

“We know one of our foes is a witch,” she said. “But she was not always so. She was once my apprentice.”

“You taught that crazy...er..” The gunslinger stopped and cleared his throat.

“I did,” she said. “But I did not teach her to do this. What she does now is heresy.”

“Then you're older than you look,” came a gruff voice from the corner.

Three pairs of eyes turned to the Soldier.

“I'll be damned,” the Gunslinger grinned. “You can speak.”

“Some of us know the wisdom in silence,” the Archer said. His glowing eyes narrowed as the Gunslinger gave him a look.

“How do you know that, Soldier?” the woman asked.

“Because it makes you at least as old as I am.”

The pale man moved closer and sat by the fire. Even though the flames lit the room, they never seemed to reach the shadow of his eyes. Ebony black, they absorbed any light that touched them.

“You are no creature,” the demon said.

“No..I'm not. I struck a bargain.” He glanced at the Alchemist, then to the fire again. “This witch has a servant, and I swore I would not die until I kill him.”

“Her servant?” the Alchemist echoed. Her lone eye widened. “The one she bound to herself...”

“The Reaper,” the other men almost whispered.

“He was once a soldier like me,” the pale man said. “He was...my friend.” Gloved hands tightened on his weapon, leather creaking around his fingers. “I laid him to rest, and he was supposed to stay there. She brought him back.”

“So you bound yourself as well,” the ash skinned demon said.

“I made a promise by blood,” the Soldier said, “that I wouldn't rest until he did.”

“Old magic,” the Alchemist said. The man nodded.

“When the moon's full, they'll come.” His gaze never lifted for the fire. “When they do, we've got to be ready.”

“The full moon's when they'll be their strongest,” the Gunslinger pointed out.

“But it is the only time their magic can be broken.” The woman looked at the Soldier. “We have to break the magic before we can hope to win.”

“It'll be hard,” the Soldier said. “But we have to. This has to end here.” He lifted his head to look at the other three. “If we don't stop them, they'll take this castle, kill and enslave everyone in it, and raze everything in their path.”

“What do you suggest we do?” the Archer said.

“Survive the night. You're no good to them alive.”

  


Two more nights passed. They told themselves not to relax, that just because only slow moving homunculi came at them it didn't mean they had nothing to fear. 

On the third night, the Reaper appeared again.

The Soldier and the Gunslinger had been fighting side by side, each watching the other's back on the ground. A cold chill gripped the air, black smoke whirling between them. Orange light emanated from the twisting tendrils, and suddenly there he was.

“Reaper!!” the Soldier shouted. He pushed the Gunslinger away and raised his weapon. But even as he fired, the Reaper's body dissolved into a shadow, glowing orange eyes staring at him. He fired into the night, black eyes trying to follow the wisps of smoke.

“Behind you!” the Alchemist shouted.

Wheeling around, the Soldier stared directly into the grinning Jack-o-lantern face. He heard the chilling laugh, saw both of the Reaper's weapons raised.

“Gabriel...”

For an instant, everything froze. He heard a sound behind the mask, saw a flicker in the orange glow. Purple and orange smoke licked from his collar as the two stared at one another.

“...J...ja...”

A guttural shout broke the stand off. Reaper dissolved again and vanished, reappearing on one of the ramparts far away.

“No!” The Soldier moved to chase him, but the Alchemist caught him by the arm.

“The Monster is coming!” she shouted. “We need you!”

He stopped short of wrenching free, staring at her a moment. That face..her mask, so much like his. Shaking himself, the Soldier reloaded and nodded. Together they faced down the Monster, pushing him back from the door and letting the Archer and the Gunslinger fire at him.

 

The night began to lighten, and the enemies retreated once more. Exhausted, the defenders dragged themselves back inside. The Archer and the Gunslinger collapsed together on their bedroll, succumbing to sleep quickly.

“We're running low on everything,” the Alchemist said, loading the last of her potions into her belts. 

“They'll come tonight,” the Soldier said. Sitting by the embers of the fire, he looked up at the woman. “Your mask.”

There was a moment of silence before she answered.

“What of it?”

“It looks like the Reaper's.”

Once more she was silent. Setting her bag aside, she lowered herself to sit beside him. She checked her rifle before settling it against her shoulder.

“I did not teach the Witch everything she knows,” she said. “But that does not mean she didn't learn it from me. There were certain texts in my collection that were better off destroyed. I knew that, but I kept them anyway.”

The Soldier listened patiently, watching her. She never looked at him, only stared at the fire.

“She found the darkest of them. Dark rituals, /evil/ magics.” Weathered hands tightened on her weapon. “She became infatuated with them, asking me all manner of questions. She said there were ways to cheat death, to undo it. It's where she learned her resurrection spells.” She finally looked at him. “How she raised your friend from his grave.

“I knew she'd gone mad with power when she struck a bargain with a demon. She..” There was a tremor in her voice, and for a moment it seemed she might not continue. “In exchange for a soul, she was granted dark powers the likes of which have not been seen in centuries.”

“Her soul?”

“No.” She looked at the fire, then closed her eye slowly. “She...fed her wife's soul to it. Her own wife. My...My daughter.”

For a moment, neither spoke. The Alchemist removed her eye-patch, wiping tears away.

“She gained eternal youth and beauty,” she went on, her voice bitter now. “And unspeakable power. Spells that take days of planning and ritual come to her with a thought. She is powerful...”

“But she isn't immortal,” the Soldier said. He put his hand on her shoulder, clasping it firmly.

“No.”

“Then we'll stop her.” His black eyes gleamed for a moment. The Alchemist looked at him, nodding slowly as she put her eye patch on once more.

“Who were you, Soldier?” she asked. “I know your face.”

“Just a soldier,” he said. He stood quickly and moved away, returning to his corner. “Get some rest. We'll need it.”

  


The moon rose. The four stood ready, silent, weary. The sound of the robotic abominations filled the night.

“Here they come,” the Gunslinger said, taking a hard draw on his cigar. He looked at the Archer, tipping his hat back. “Hey, if anythin' happens..”

“I know.” The Archer turned his glowing eyes to his black clad companion. “Try not to let it happen.”

The sounds drew closer, and the first wave made its appearance. Each of them fell into practiced stances and routines, plying their skills in the most effective ways. The Alchemist healed them while the Soldier shouted coordinating orders, the Gunslinger and the Archer lending their considerable marksmanship to keep the hoards away.

A chill bit the air, and in a whirl of smoke, the Reaper appeared. The Soldier charged him, firing off a flurry of rounds. He drew the Reaper's attention away from the others, letting them wear him down. Every shot tore ethereal cloth and caused wisps of smoke to rise from him. Any time he nearly turned away, the Soldier fired another volley and shouted at him.

“I'm the one you want!”

Somewhere on the other side of the stone bridge, the Monster bellowed. Above them, the wicked laughter of the mad Doctor rang out. Bombs rained down on them as the huge Monster charged them. Every time the Soldier thought he'd worn him down, the Reaper would retreat and return as strong as before. The others were beginning to buckle under the onslaught.

A thunderous crash pulled the Soldier's attention, and he saw the Monster lying motionless. The Doctor was screaming something. Turning to the Reaper, the Soldier charged him suddenly, throwing him to the ground.

“I know you're still in there!” he shouted. He pinned the Reaper bodily, holding him still. He struggled, but the Soldier held firm, bearing his teeth. “Gabriel! It's me!”

That stopped him. The burning eyes looked directly at him, as though seeing him for the first time. An echoing voice growled somewhere in the burning face.

“...Jack..”

The Soldier looked as though he'd been struck. He shifted his weight slowly, relaxing his hold on the Reaper.

“Yeah Gabe,” he said. “It's me..”

He sat back on his heels a moment, then stood. The Reaper remained still, then vanished in a flurry of smoke. Black eyes went wide and the Soldier raised his gun. The Reaper's twin shotguns appeared and disappeared over and over in a flurry of shots and fire. When the whirlwind stopped, the robots around them sparked and fell to the ground.

Dropping the empty weapons, the Reaper's clawed hands tore at the grinning mask. Chunks fell to the ground, disappearing in yellow fire. Once it was gone, the Reaper looked at them with an almost human face. Four sets of red eyes glowed in the night, and sharp white teeth showed in places cheeks might have been. His skin was torn and the wounds burned like coals.

“What the hell?!” the Gunslinger exclaimed.

The Reaper crossed in two quick steps to the Soldier...and the two embraced. They clutched at each other, crushing their bodies together as though wishing they could merge.

“You never gave up,” the Reaper growled.

“I couldn't,” the Soldier said. “I couldn't lose you like that.”

After a moment, they stepped back. Fresh weapons appeared in the Reaper's hands and he looked across the bridge.

“She's coming,” he said.

“Are you with us, Reaper?” the Alchemist asked. Her voice was as hard as her stare.

“You are the only one who wishes her stopped more than me,” the Reaper said. Flames licked around his mouth as he spoke.

“For what she did to you...I am sorry.”

“Beg my forgiveness by stopping her.”

The five of them turned themselves back to the task. With a flash of golden light, the Witch appeared and raised the dead bodies of the Doctor and the Monster.

“Cover us,” the Soldier said. “We're going to end this.”

Side by side, the Reaper and the Soldier charged in. The Reaper flew passed shambling robots while the Soldier weakened them with quick, well placed shots. Boots thudded heavily on the stones as the Reaper became solid again and brought his weapons to bear on the Witch.

“What is the meaning of this?!” she shouted. “Servant, I command you to kill him!”

“I'm your servant no longer.”

The Reaper fired, barely missing her. She almost threw herself into the Soldier's attack. Her eyes narrowed.

“You. You old fool!”

Raising her staff, she summoned the reanimated Monster. It lumbered toward them, throwing it's hook at them. They dodged aside, looking to one another.

“Stop her,” the Reaper growled. “I'll take care of this.”

The Reaper jumped at the Monster, flanking it quickly and unloading a flurry of shots into it. The Soldier charged the Witch, slamming his shoulder into her. He fired at her. She conjured a wall of broken robots around herself and pushed him back.

Again and again, he attacked her, hitting her with everything he had. She tried throwing robots at him, directing the Doctor's attention and bombs at him. But the Gunslinger and the Archer continually made short work of those attempts. The Alchemist's potions kept the Soldier fighting. Holes were torn in his red coat, black blood oozing from deep gashes. But he never stopped, never slowed.

Under a continuous assault, the Witch's magic didn't hold out. She fell to the ground, and the Soldier kicked her hard enough to roll her. Her staff clattered across the stones. Slamming a booted foot into her chest, he leveled his gun at her head.

“Wait!!” she screamed. “Please! Don't kill me!”

“Gimme a good reason..”

“I'll release your friend! You can leave!”

The Soldier cocked his weapon and shook his head. The Witch's hands grasped feebly at his leg, trying to push him away.

“Try again.”

“He'll die if you kill me!” she hissed.

Somewhere behind them, the Soldier heard the sick thud of the Monster's body hitting the ground. The last of the robots were picked off, their metal parts clattering to the stones. The Witch's eyes rolled, and the Soldier saw a pale golden glow in her hand.

The Reaper's boot came down on her wrist, crushing it with a sickening crunch. She screamed in rage and fear. The Reaper silenced her with a shot to her head.

Stillness settled over them for the first time in ages.

Stepping off the still body, the Soldier looked at the Reaper. Already, smoke was coming off of him.

“My time is short,” the Reaper said.

“Good. Mine too.”

Both men dropped their weapons and embraced once more. Slowly, they sank to their knees. The fires in the Reaper were fading. The snow white skin of the Soldier was turning ashen.

“Will I see you again?” the Soldier said. The black in his eyes was fading.

“You're stuck with me,” the Reaper said. One clawed hand moved to hold the back of his head, and the two men kissed firmly, as passionately as weakness allowed. “Jack..”

“Gabe...It's time.”

“Finally...”

The Reaper held the Soldier's head to his chest. As the sun began to rise behind the castle, the Reaper's body disappeared in smoke and tattered black cloth, carried away by the wind.

For a moment, the Soldier was still. The Alchemist approached slowly.

“Soldier?”

His head turned weakly, and his dulled eyes met the glowing gaze of her mask.

“Thank...you..” he rasped. 

He slumped to the ground, motionless. The Gunslinger made to run for him, but the Alchemist held out an arm.

“No,” she said firmly.

“But we gotta-”

“He is at peace.” She said. She walked to where he lay, gently closing his eyes with her fingertips. “They are free. We all are.”


End file.
